


All Wrapped Up in Sunshine

by TeaAndATale



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Bliss, F/M, Fluff, Kid Fic, Steggy Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:29:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25385323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaAndATale/pseuds/TeaAndATale
Summary: Steve, Peggy and their little ones have a family trip to the beach.Steggy Week 2020 – Day 1 (Sunday): Domestic Bliss
Relationships: Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Comments: 26
Kudos: 70





	All Wrapped Up in Sunshine

*

A familiar pressure on his shoulder wakes him. It disappears in a flash only to return just as quickly at his stomach.

He would love to ignore it, having stayed up late into the night with Peggy to prepare for their trip. But he’s also been a father long enough to realize what this is, even half asleep.

Steve pulls away from Peggy’s back, gentle enough not to jostle her, and in the same stroke grasps the little culprit by the waist.

Little giggles tell him it is exactly who he expected.

“Daddy!”

“Ellie, baby, you’re supposed to be asleep.”

His youngest daughter giggles and grasps his arm with a strength he always finds impressive.

“But daddy I’m so excited!” she screeches in a voice not meant for three in the morning.

He can’t help but let out a little laugh of his own.

“I know you are Ellie baby. But we need to be quiet. We wouldn’t want to wake mom up before she gets enough sleep, huh? You know how grumpy you are when you’re sleepy. That wouldn’t be nice of us to do to mom on her day off, right?”

Even in the darkness of the room he can clearly see his little one’s eyes grow comically wide, her mouth making a perfect o shape.

“I can be so quiet daddy,” she promises in a whisper that’s much further from quiet than he knows his daughter realizes. It’s adorable. “I can be quiet and so excited daddy!”

He pulls Ellie onto his chest and kisses the top of her head.

“Oh yeah? What are you excited for most baby?”

“The beach! And swimming! And sandcastles! Oh and the waves daddy! And can we get ice cream? And jump the waves! And playing with Maggie and Michael and Grant!”

He snorts at his enthusiastic girl. He lifts her up to press a kiss to her nose. Ellie giggles and smushes his cheeks with her tiny hands.

“Those are all great things Ellie. But we need to get our sleep if we want to have enough energy for all those beach activities.”

“But daddy I can’t wait.” But even as she says it, her head nuzzles into his chest, fingers curling into the collar of his shirt. Steve presses a palm to her back, rubbing soothing strokes he knows will help lull his little firecracker to sleep.

“I know baby,” he murmurs. “Sleep. And then we’ll be at the beach before you know it.”

He feels and hears her snuffles just moments later. Steve looks at Ellie then over at Peggy. His heart feels full, bursting with the sunshine that hasn’t yet risen.

Steve watches Ellie a little longer, listening to her breathing, a sound deeply soothing to his soul. After a while, Steve swings his legs off the bed, careful to wake neither Peggy or Ellie. He carries his daughter down the hall and back to the room she shares with her brother Michael. He takes his time tucking Ellie in with her favorite stuffed animals, especially her particular favorite, a stuffed moose. He then turns toward his son’s bed.

The toddler is the one that reminds Steve most of himself when he was young, their eldest son quiet, shy and sensitive. He hasn’t forgotten how difficult Peggy’s pregnancy with Michael had been, how much fear surrounded their boy’s weeks early entrance into the world. Steve looks down at the sleeping boy, thankful as ever that despite being a little smaller than others his age, he’s growing just as he should. He repositions the blanket tight over Michael, then watches both kids from the doorway for a moment, just to bask in knowing that they’re safe and sound.

His next move is to check on his eldest next door. Maggie’s blonde hair spills from her braid, her current favorite book just out of reach on the bedside table. She’s growing up so fast, both fierce and gentle, already smart as a whip. How could his tiny baby be nearing eight years old already? Where had the time gone? And could he find a way to force it to slow just a bit?

He lets himself enjoy the darkness and the slight breeze blowing through the room. Steve takes a moment to take in the wonder of his children growing older, to listen to Maggie’s steady breathing, unable to prevent the grin tugging at his lips when he remembers the first time he saw Maggie smile up at him all those years ago. Little Maggie. She had given him the gift of finally becoming a father. His first little wonder.

With one last stop before he heads back to his wife, Steve presses a kiss to the top of Maggie’s forehead and leaves her to dream.

In the nursery, their youngest, Grant, is also fast asleep. Their fourteen-month old son sleeps easily through the night these days, rarely waking before his parents. But he’s always been an easy sleeper. Steve grins seeing the boy’s fists curled above his head in his usual fashion. It always makes Peggy laugh.

“Our little prize fighter,” she always calls him lovingly.

Content that his family is well and comfortably asleep, he pads down the hall to curl back up in bed with his wife. At the foot of their bed, he notices their dog is now awake. Cap’s ever watchful brown eyes meet Steve’s as he raises his head from his paws, head titled in inquiry.

“All good Cap,” he murmurs. “Good boy. Back to bed.”

Although it was technically the kids that came up with the dog’s name, it was Peggy’s hysterical laughter that affirmed the yellow lab mix his moniker. He knows for a fact that naming the dog as such was Peggy’s revenge upon him for being the reason their kids constantly recite lines verbatim from the Captain America Adventure Hour. Still, the name has grown on him. The dog has earned the title, a fierce protector of not just the kids, but of Peggy too, just the way his namesake likes it. Besides, Captain is a much more dignified name than the full _Captain Woofers_ as little Ellie dubbed him.

He settles back under the covers, listening carefully for any change in her breathing that would indicate he had woken her, before sliding close enough for her back touches his chest. It’s a constant fulfilling pleasure to be able to sleep touching Peggy Carter night after night. He kisses her neck, curls his arm around her and smiles as he drifts back off to sleep.

The sun is already risen when he wakes next, rays streaking through the shades and reflecting off the hardwood floors. He stirs in bed, shuffling a bit before realizing the space next to him is empty. He blinks the sleepiness away, and seeing that it’s just after six, he heads in search of his wife.

He finds her in the first place he looks. Peggy is nestled in the rocking chair in the corner of Grant’s room, with the boy still fast asleep in her arms.

She smiles up at Steve. “Good morning darling,” her voice soft with sleep.

Steve walks over to press a kiss to her cheek.

“Is Grant okay?”

She nods. “He’s fine, just a little fussy this morning. I think he just wanted a cuddle. Truthfully though, I think I needed it more than him. I am surprised you didn’t beat me in here. Usually you hear him before I do.”

He hums in agreement.

“I’m sorry. I must have been more asleep than I thought. Our little firecracker woke me up around three because she couldn’t sleep for how excited she is about the beach trip.”

Peggy laughs. He loves to hear her laugh. The joyous, open tone sending flutters deep within him. It sometimes makes him feel like a teenager all over again.

“Oh what are we going to do with our Ellie? Four years old and already I feel we’re not going to be able to keep up with her long.”

“Speak for yourself,” he teases.

“Just wait until she’s a teenager.”

Steve just grins. “I can’t wait to watch them all grow.”

“You’re a very lovely, very sappy father, darling.” Peggy leans over to kiss him quick. “Though I’m starting to get a clearer picture of what my mother had to deal with.”

He snorts. “There’s nothing wrong with having a bit of a rambunctious spirit.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

They sit together watching over Grant. He still can’t believe his son will be turning two soon enough. For Steve, it still felt like just yesterday that Grant easily fit into his palm, an easy baby prone to smiling and humming.

Recently though, Steve has been finding himself caught in odd moments of sadness, sudden seconds of grief when thinking about how quickly his kids were growing further and further away from babyhood. He loves the little people they are becoming, but he can’t deny the special something of a brand-new baby, the warmth and excitement. And though they haven’t discussed it in a while, in his heart he realizes that Grant will more than likely be their last.

But then in a flash, it dissipates as he watches Peggy murmur to their son about the day they have planned, and as he remembers just how excited both Maggie and Ellie are for the adventure.

After a moment, Steve takes Grant from Peggy and lays him back in the crib.

“Did you get enough sleep last night?” Steve asks as they head out of Grant’s room. “It’s going to be a long day.”

She squeezes his arm. “I slept just fine, thanks to you intercepting Ellie’s restlessness,” she replies with a smile. “I’ll be fine. I do want to get started on packing the cooler though.”

Steve wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her in so he can kiss her properly. After a long moment in which he properly says good morning to his wife, he takes a step back with a satisfied grin.

“I’ll get the cooler from the garage and meet you in the kitchen. Coffee and breakfast first though.”

“Only if we make pancakes.”

Steve hums loudly and taps his foot as he pretends to seriously consider that arrangement.

“You got a deal.”

They manage almost an unfathomable full hour alone together, eating breakfast and chatting over coffee, before there’s squealing from the second floor.

“Sounds like Ellie’s up,” says Peggy.

Not a moment later, Ellie bounces into the kitchen and launches herself straight into Steve’s arms.

“Beach day! Beach day! Beach day!” Ellie chants.

Maggie trails in right behind her, their oldest rubbing her eyes and pouting a little at Ellie’s chanting. He has no doubt she repeated her wake up routine from earlier on her older sister.

“Morning my darling,” Peggy tells Maggie, kissing the top of her head. Maggie hugs her mom tight wordlessly. “Ellie woke you up huh?”

Maggie nods before going to get a hug from Steve.

“But I had to wake her! Otherwise Maggie would miss beach day!”

Steve snorts.

“Mummy and daddy wouldn’t leave me behind Ellie!”

“Cause I woke you up!”

Maggie sighs, but their oldest, although not a morning person, doesn’t pick fights with her younger siblings.

“Come sit by daddy and Ellie, Maggie,” Peggy calls. “Pancakes first, then you can go nap for a little longer.”

“But mama! We’ll miss beach day if Maggie goes back to bed.”

Steve laughs. “Ellie baby, I promise you we’re not going to miss beach day. There’s plenty of time before we leave for the beach.”

Ellie huffs and pushes her hair from her face.

“How many hours left?”

“We’re leaving at ten-thirty sweetheart. That’s three hours from now.”

Ellie counts three on her fingers and the huffs again. “That’s so many hours!”

“Well then we’ll make sure to keep you busy Ellie darling. There’s still plenty to do before we leave,” Peggy tells her, reaching over to kiss the top of her head. “Time will fly before you know it.”

She huffs again but softens at Peggy’s touch. “Okay Mama.”

With his two eldest up, he goes to check on the younger ones while Peggy stands at the stove. Michael is still fast asleep but he finds Grant standing in his crib bouncing up and down on his toes amusing himself. He gurgles happily at the sight of him.

“Good morning bud,” he says.

“Da!” Grant raises his arms up expectantly.

“I’m coming. Dada’s coming.” Steve reaches for his son and breathes in the baby soft curls before checking the diaper. Grant giggles. “You’re awake and chipper buddy. Are you also excited for the beach?”

Grant babbles at him a bit.

“Son, I hope you go easy on your old man and stay as little as possible for as long as possible? Deal?”

Grant stuffs his fist into his mouth in reply.

Pancakes are sizzling at Peggy’s attention while Maggie is serving orange juice into cups for everyone.

“Can Grant have some orange juice today Dad?” Maggie asks as Steve sets Grant down in the highchair.

“Just a little sweetheart, and remember we need to water it down for him.”

Maggie nods solemnly. “I can do it Dad.”

When Steve sits down next to the highchair, Ellie rushes from helping her mom at the stove and plunks herself down in the chair next to him.

“Daddy! Dad! Dad! Will you swim with me at the beach? Pretty please!”

He laughs. “Yes sweetheart. You know the rules. Your mom or I need to be with to go swimming in the ocean.”

She nods seriously in reply as Maggie sets a plate in front of her sister, and then she sets her attention on the syrup bottle and her pancakes.

Michael is the last one who toddles into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes, his favorite blanket in his left fist.

“Mama?” he murmurs still full of sleep, reaching for Peggy with his free hand when he spots her at the sink.

Steve smiles at his son as he wrangles both cutting up Ellie’s pancakes and feeding Grant banana slices. Michael, of all their children, has been the one who had taken Peggy’s return to work full time the hardest. There’s always a bit of anxiety in his tone when he sees his mother, expecting her to be gone to work for the entire day soon enough. He’s glad today is not one of those days.

“Good morning, my darling,” Peggy greets him with a smile that makes young Michael brighten like the sun, little white teeth poking out of his smile.

“Mama,” he repeats happily.

Peggy reaches her arms out to the toddler. “Would you like some pancakes for breakfast darling?” The boy presses his face into her legs.

“Yes please,” he says, muffled against his mama’s legs. “Mama makes me pancakes?”

There’s very little Steve loves more than happy, sunny morning in the kitchen. And seeing his wife, smiling easy without any sense of a rush, makes his heart feel even more full.

Peggy laughs. “Yes Michael. I’m making pancakes. It is a special day after all. Do you remember why?”

“Beach?”

“Yes baby. We’re going on a family beach trip.” She picks Michael up who immediately snuggles against her neck.

“The beach! The beach!” Ellie cries out excitedly between bites of her breakfast, pounding her fists into the tabletop, the rhythmic drumming making Grant giggle and attempt to copy his sister.

Steve finds that feeling of home he chased for so long in this moment: a breakfast table full for six, a dog trying to sneak bites off the kids’ forks under the table, and Peggy smiling widely as she listens to the children discuss the beach adventure specifics. How lucky was he to finally have it. And oh how close it had always come to him not having it.

Steve enlists Michael with helping him load up the car before taking him up to his room to get him changed into his swimsuit and beach clothes. Rocking sunglasses and a checkered shirt that closely matches his own, Steve takes him by the hand to check on everyone else.

Grant is sitting on the floor in Maggie’s room playing with blocks. He grins up at Steve and Michael as they enter. Maggie is strapping on her sandals and packing her little bag while Peggy braids two French braids into Ellie’s hair, looking just as elaborate as the crown braid in Maggie’s hair.

He’s more than adequate with the girls’ hair these days, nimble with braids himself, but he thinks the girls like to ask Peggy to do their hair for them as often as possible, if nothing else, for them to both feel a little bit more like their mother.

“Is the Carter-Rogers family ready to get going to the beach?” he asks the group.

“Yeah!”

“Yes daddy!”

Even Grant lets out a high-pitched babble.

He sees Michael tug on Peggy’s shirt though, looking a little anxious. It will be Michael’s first time seeing the ocean, and he thinks Ellie’s enormous enthusiasm has made him a little weary of the situation. But Peggy sweeps the boy into her arms and says something softly in his hear. Michael gives her a smile back before nuzzling into her neck.

“I just have Grant left to get dressed and we can be on our way,” says Peggy. “And Cap needs to be walked before that long car ride.”

A walk being mentioned brings the dog bouncing into the room. All the kids offer to help walk him, leaving Steve to take them out to give Peggy some last privacy to gather her and the baby up.

Steve has the kids and Cap all loaded up with the rest of their supplies in the family car by the time Peggy walks out the front door with Grant on her hip. The baby is now decked out in sunglasses, sandals, and a straw cap, looking just as fashionable as his mother.

“All set?” Peggy asks as she passes Grant over.

Steve nods and leans over to kiss her. She lets him linger.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive? I don’t mind.”

“I’m fine darling. We’ll switch off like we talked about.”

Maggie is a good sport being tasked to sit next to Grant’s car seat to keep an eye on him. She reaches one hand over to hold his little fist while the other holds the book she’s already lost in. He kisses the top of her head before finally making his way to the passenger seat. They’re not far along when Ellie starts singing which prompts Michael to join her. The car, already so full of joy and love, has Ellie’s excitement fill in any gaps.

Steve reaches over for Peggy’s right hand, kisses it twice before joining in on the singing.

It’s a miracle they can keep the kids in line for any period of time when they finally arrive. Steve keeps an especially watchful eye on Ellie.

But the second he announces they’ve found their set-up spot, Ellie squeals, drops everything apart from Cap’s leash and the pair of them take off running.

“Ellie!” Steve calls after her.

Maggie sighs as she sets down her towel. “I’ll go keep an eye on Ellie.”

“Darling you can splash your feet at the water’s edge but no further than that. Come straight back, okay sweetheart?”

“Yes mama.”

Steve knows his eldest is exasperated with her boisterous little sister, but he also sees the excitement in Maggie’s eyes when she looks towards the shoreline. He meets Peggy’s eye briefly, noticing the same mix of amusement and exasperation in her expression. It’s nothing they didn’t expect in the end.

He keeps an eye on the girls while he works on setting up their spot. Michael keeps close to Peggy’s leg while she sets up the towels all while managing Grant.

“Michael, baby, do you want to go dip your toes in the water with your sisters?” Peggy asks.

The boy looks up at her with wide eyes, looks over to his sisters then shakes his head.

Steve and Peggy meet each other’s gaze.

“Hey bud, you want to help me with the umbrella while your mom gets all our towels settled?” Michael, with some encouragement from Peggy, nods and waddles over. Steve notices him look fretfully over at his sisters splashing with Cap at the water’s edge.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of son,” Steve promises him in a soft voice. “But if you want, I can hold your hand later when we go say hello to the ocean.”

“Ocean,” he repeats before nodding seriously.

They’ve nearly gotten everything in place when a shriek, followed by a bark grabs his attention. He turns in time to see Ellie trip and fall face first into the shallow water, Cap trailing in behind her. Maggie has her hands at her hips. But Ellie’s giggles return in just a moment. Steve shakes his head as he moves to go check on his girls.

“Do you want to come with now Michael? Just for a minute?”

“No. Stay with mama.”

Peggy nods at him. They’ll work on getting Michael acquainted with the water later.

When Steve returns from the water with the girls, Peggy has since taken off her dress. He finds her lounging easily in her beach chair, in only her swimsuit and red sunglasses perched on her nose, while Grant and Michael play in the sand at her feet. He swears he can feel his heart swell at the sight. His wife has always taken his breath away but this is a rare sight for him: Peggy with a sun-kissed glow and a peaceful smile. The view settles him deep down in his bones, a feeling so powerful that he feels the hair on his hands stand up.

Ellie breaks his reverie when she grabs his arm and starts bouncing. He scoops her up and over his shoulder. As Ellie shrieks and giggles, he sees Maggie also grin up at him. He presses his eldest into his side. It’s a good day.

“Mama! I love the beach!” Ellie announces when she flops down onto her towel.

Maggie sits down next to Michael and quietly joins in his sandcastle building, asking her brother how she can help.

“Michael, you don’t have to be such a scaredy-cat. The water doesn’t bite,” Ellie says shaking the water off herself with a giggle.

“Sarah Elizabeth,” Peggy calls out in the stern voice that always makes their kids sit up a little straighter. Ellie pouts. “This is Michael’s first time at the beach. Your brother can enjoy it as his own pace.”

“Yes Mama. I only meant it would be fun!”

Maggie smiles kindly at Michael. “I’ll splash in the water with you later Michael. We can even look for pretty seashells.”

Michael says noting for a long time. “Later,” he finally promises in a quick whisper.

He helps Ellie and Maggie slather on sunscreen and preps the floaties before he takes off his own shirt. Steve of course notices his wife staring. He gives her a wink before returning his attention to their energetic little mermaid. He finds those faithful butterflies still crop up in his stomach when Peggy shoots a knowing smirk his way.

He grins at her and decides swimming can wait another minute. Steve pulls the second beach chair as close to Peggy as possible and puts his lips to her ear, hovering there without saying anything just to tease her a moment.

“I love you Peggy,” he tells her in a low whisper, something she’s so used to hearing, but still makes its mark the way he wanted it to. She kisses him full on the lips.

“Mama!” Ellie shrieks. “No kissing! It’s swimming time!”

“Oh is that so Miss Sarah Elizabeth?” They both laugh at the exaggerated pout. “Well then I insist you come over here and give me a kiss before you run off with the waves my little mermaid.”

Steve swims with the girls for a long time before deeming it time for a rest and a nap. Peggy’s already set out the snacks when they return. He kisses her and urges her to go take a dip herself. She picks up Grant, reaches out for Michael’s hand and they set off. He watches her hold Michael tight as the tide comes in and rushes over his toes. After a while, Grant set down on his own two feet two, and Peggy playfully splashing at Michael, she can hear his laughter ring out.

He knows he’s worn out Ellie when it’s Maggie that asks to join her brothers in the water without Ellie even raising her head from where it rests on Cap’s fur.

“Of course Maggie. Bring me back a pretty seashell won’t you?”

She grins at the prospect and promises to do just that.

By sunset it’s quieter on the beach. Grant is sleeping against his chest. Maggie and Michael have abandoned their marathon sandcastle building to follow a crab they discovered. Ellie and Peggy are standing at the shoreline jumping each time the tide comes in and reaches their toes. He breathes in the salty air, the warm summer breeze and the soothing sound of the lapping water interspersed with the happy sounds of his kids. He hears Cap panting contentedly at his feet, the dog joining him in watching over their family.

Steve had no real ideas about what a potential family would look like, not really. It wasn’t real until Peggy became vital to even the tiniest idea of having a real family. All the things that kid from Brooklyn had gotten into over the years, and he was able to have this too. He’s endlessly grateful, if on occasion a little disbelieving.

But not today.

“Come on Cap,” he says, and the three of them join the rest of the family near the water. When Peggy instinctively reaches for him even before she’s turned to look at him, he feels as bright and warm at the sunset.

Packing up the car is a much quieter affair than the unload. All the kids, apart from Maggie who is already focused on her book, are fast asleep. Even Cap curls himself into a ball near Michael’s feet and closes his eyes. Steve takes one last glance at the receding sunset before they drive off.

Some time down the road back home, Steve glances over at this wife with a soft smile. She’s already looking at him, a warm, peaceful smile on her lips. It takes his breath away. She reaches her hand over. He takes it readily, bringing it up to press a kiss on her fingers. When he glances in the rearview mirror, Maggie’s watching him. His eldest baby girl grins up at him. He gives her a wink.

Now this is the life.


End file.
